Felony? Babysitter hits 7 year old 20 times with belt, no serious injuries

[Deb in IA]

Do you think she should be charged with felony assault, when just a few years ago, I'll bet many parents did this routinely?

Maybe even your own parents?

Discuss.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - A Cedar Rapids babysitter has been charged with a felony after she allegedly hit a young boy 20 times with belt for swearing.

Constance L. Cockhren, 46, has been charged with child endangerment and assault causing bodily injury. She is accused of whipping a 7-year-old boy’s buttocks 20 times with the belt on Aug. 2 at her residence, 1802 Grande Ave. SE, police said.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said the boy was not seriously hurt, but was taken to a pediatrician after the incident. The boy’s mother reported the incident to police.

A warrant was issued for Cockhren’s arrest. Officers arrested her on Aug. 30 and she was taken to the Linn County Jail. She has since been released and is under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections, according to online court records.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 20.

 

[budafam]

 

[Stitchfans]

IMO she was wrong. She should not of hit that child at all let alone with a belt. To top it off 20 times? She deserved to go to jail. Not familiar with charges so I have no opinion on the felony charges. But yes she should be punished, fined or something.

 

[java]

Do you think she should be charged with felony assault, when just a few years ago, I'll bet many parents did this routinely?

Maybe even your own parents?

Discuss.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - A Cedar Rapids babysitter has been charged with a felony after she allegedly hit a young boy 20 times with belt for swearing.

Constance L. Cockhren, 46, has been charged with child endangerment and assault causing bodily injury. She is accused of whipping a 7-year-old boy’s buttocks 20 times with the belt on Aug. 2 at her residence, 1802 Grande Ave. SE, police said.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said the boy was not seriously hurt, but was taken to a pediatrician after the incident. The boy’s mother reported the incident to police.

A warrant was issued for Cockhren’s arrest. Officers arrested her on Aug. 30 and she was taken to the Linn County Jail. She has since been released and is under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections, according to online court records.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 20.

If he wasn't hurt why the trip to the pediatrician? And yes, not her child, she has no right to beat him with a belt. (personally I don't think you should beat your own child but that's a different thread)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well if she did hit him with a belt then yes, she should be charged. She is not the parent of this child.

And frankly who knows how many other times she hit him or if the kid even swore at her.

"Alleged" goes both ways.

 

[DopeyDame]

She was a babysitter! We can argue till the cows come home over parents' spanking a kid, but that's not this case. I really don't think we should condone adults hitting other people's kids.
Like a PP said, not being familiar with the law, I have no idea if these particular charges are the right ones or not.

 

[AshleyW]

Do you think she should be charged with felony assault, when just a few years ago, I'll bet many parents did this routinely?

Maybe even your own parents?

Discuss.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - A Cedar Rapids babysitter has been charged with a felony after she allegedly hit a young boy 20 times with belt for swearing.

Constance L. Cockhren, 46, has been charged with child endangerment and assault causing bodily injury. She is accused of whipping a 7-year-old boy’s buttocks 20 times with the belt on Aug. 2 at her residence, 1802 Grande Ave. SE, police said.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said the boy was not seriously hurt, but was taken to a pediatrician after the incident. The boy’s mother reported the incident to police.

A warrant was issued for Cockhren’s arrest. Officers arrested her on Aug. 30 and she was taken to the Linn County Jail. She has since been released and is under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections, according to online court records.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 20.

I'm actually kind of torn on this one. On one hand, I DID get the belt a few times when I was younger and I don't think my parents did anything wrong by using a belt. On the other hand, I only ever got smacked once or twice with it. Twenty times is a little.. excessive. Felony excessive, though? I'm not quite sure.

Cedar Rapids sure has had some interesting babysitting news lately, though...
http://www.kcrg.com/news/crime/Babysitting-Grandma-Busted-with-Pot-129260798.html

 

[Wishing on a star]

TWENTY times...

With a belt...

Book her......

 

[Acklander]

Yes she should be charged. I don't think she should do jail time, but I think she should have a record and be banned from ever providing child care for the rest of her life. If she can't see that she crossed a very serious line over what is appropriate and what's not appropriate she shouldn't be watching other peoples kids.

 

[luvsJack]

Well, I would say this is going to probably get good. . .

But, IMHO, she should be charged. I don't have an issue with PARENTS spanking a child; but a babysitter has no business hitting someone else's child with a belt or anything else.

 

[LisaR]

The issue is that a babysitter, who we presume was never given permission to smack, whip, hit, or beat said child, did just that. If I dropped my kid off with a babysitter and they whipped my child, I would press charges. If DH and I believed in physically punishing our kids (we don't) that is our prerogative. But unless I give someone else permission to do that to my children, they better keep their grubby little paws off of them.

 

[Acklander]

I'm actually kind of torn on this one. On one hand, I DID get the belt a few times when I was younger and I don't think my parents did anything wrong by using a belt. On the other hand, I only ever got smacked once or twice with it. Twenty times is a little.. excessive. Felony excessive, though? I'm not quite sure.

Cedar Rapids sure has had some interesting babysitting news lately, though...
http://www.kcrg.com/news/crime/Babysitting-Grandma-Busted-with-Pot-129260798.html

I'm not making this a out if it's right to punish a child with a belt or not. - I don't hit my kids, but that's a personal preference. This is about putting your hands on someone else's child. This is wrong no matter how you twist it

 

[budafam]

I agree she should be charged. Hitting other people's kids is a no no. Especially 20 times. I don't however think it warrants a felony. Maybe a massive fine, an order not to babysit anymore & something put on her record but not a felony.

 

[luvmy3]

That seems pretty excessive for swearing. I don't have any issues with swatting your child's behind, but that is your choice, not the babysitter's. Also, whipping a child's behind with a belt 20 times goes way beyond a little discipline, thats beating. She should definitely be charged.

 

[AshleyW]

I'm not making this a out if it's right to punish a child with a belt or not. - I don't hit my kids, but that's a personal preference. This is about putting your hands on someone else's child. This is wrong no matter how you twist it

But what she was charged with has nothing to do with whether she was the parent or not. If it was the mom who smacked him 20 times with a belt, should she still be charged with felony assault causing bodily injury and child endangerment? Her charges are simply based on the fact that a child was struck 20 times with a belt.

 

[DeaverTex]

A paddling is one thing, and I've known of babysitters who had been given paddling privileges. But twenty strokes is way beyond paddling, regardless of how or by whom it's given. And even my best and most trusted dear friend would NOT strike any child of mine -- even on the butt, with my specific blessing -- with anything but the palm of an empty hand. The consequences would not be pleasant for anyone.

 

[Acklander]

But what she was charged with has nothing to do with whether she was the parent or not. If it was the mom who smacked him 20 times with a belt, should she still be charged with felony assault causing bodily injury and child endangerment? Her charges are simply based on the fact that a child was struck 20 times with a belt.

With your own children you are given leeway. Parental rights. You wouldn't be allowed to strike your neighbor with a belt or strike your employee with a belt and so on. The only one you are legally allowed to strike is your own child. I think it's based on the old thought that children are your property. Just like in olden times you were allowed to strike your slaves - because you owned them. There was a time when you were allowed to strike your wife, since she was your property, but you couldn't strike someone else's wife

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

People routinely struck their children 20 times with a belt? ever?

 

[Deb in IA]

Cedar Rapids sure has had some interesting babysitting news lately, though...
http://www.kcrg.com/news/crime/Babysitting-Grandma-Busted-with-Pot-129260798.html

Hi Ashley!!!

I saw that story about the grandma with the pot, too!

While grandma got most of the attention, I think the mom is nuts too.
You just send a TEXT and drop the kid off?
What if the other person's phone isn't on, or they haven't read their texts yet?

 

[ccgirl]

Do you think she should be charged with felony assault, when just a few years ago, I'll bet many parents did this routinely?

Maybe even your own parents?

Discuss.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - A Cedar Rapids babysitter has been charged with a felony after she allegedly hit a young boy 20 times with belt for swearing.

Constance L. Cockhren, 46, has been charged with child endangerment and assault causing bodily injury. She is accused of whipping a 7-year-old boy’s buttocks 20 times with the belt on Aug. 2 at her residence, 1802 Grande Ave. SE, police said.

Sgt. Cristy Hamblin said the boy was not seriously hurt, but was taken to a pediatrician after the incident. The boy’s mother reported the incident to police.

A warrant was issued for Cockhren’s arrest. Officers arrested her on Aug. 30 and she was taken to the Linn County Jail. She has since been released and is under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections, according to online court records.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 20.

Absolutely. Hitting a child with anything other than an open hand (i.e. fist, belt, spoon, wooden paddle, foot) is against the law. No need to discuss.